File Search in Windows 7 is Unreliable

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  1. Posts : 4,161
    Windows 7 Pro-x64
       #11

    You might want to modify your index settings. As I recall, most of the program folders aren't included in the index by default. It's primarily the Libraries. The default is also set to exclude file content and user App Data.

    You can get to the index options via the Control Panel.
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  2. Posts : 9
    Windows 7 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       #12

    JimLewandowski said:
    Indexing will slow down when you are doing something. Sure the head on the disk will be moving possibly away from where your activity/work is.
    Indexing will definitely slow down, but when you're working with large files the "fragmented" behaviour of the head is very noticable.

    JimLewandowski said:
    I've tried searching on various things and it seems to work for me.

    *slash*

    returns filenames with *slash* in them, as well as documents/emails/etc that have the word *slash* INSIDE them.
    Unfortunately it doesn't work for me on any of the hundreds of computers I work with. Even today, some 24 hours after I deleted a file, I'm still seeing it in my search results, yet I'm not seeing the other eight files that should match my search.
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  3. Posts : 9
    Windows 7 Pro x64
    Thread Starter
       #13

    carwiz said:
    You might want to modify your index settings. As I recall, most of the program folders aren't included in the index by default. It's primarily the Libraries. The default is also set to exclude file content and user App Data.

    You can get to the index options via the Control Panel.
    Hi carwiz,

    The folder is definitely indexed (and reindexed), and has been for over a year.
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  4. Posts : 4,161
    Windows 7 Pro-x64
       #14

    What's the file count noted at the top of your index options? If you have folders that are highly active, you should exclude those folders from indexing. Indexing occurs in the background and can be slow to update. In the case of active programs, Superfetch may serve you better.

    I don't understand your process of having to search for the same files all the time. If this is the normal course of your activities, perhaps a desktop shortcut to the file(s) would be better.
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  5. Posts : 450
    Windows 7
       #15

    How highly active could anyone's folders be re: metadata changes or contents changes to actually keep the indexer busy. I have all my emails (2Gig worth) indexed. When I start WLMail, after downloading new emails, if I go to CP > Indexing Options they're already indexed by the time I get there.

    I haven't tried deleting an indexed file (or folder) and seeing immediately if Start ORB > Search still shows it for X amount of time until the indexer gets updated.
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  6. Posts : 3,960
    W7 x64
       #16

    With over 4Tb of data on my system, many being relatively small files (eg; 60,000 mp3 tracks, numerous small office/PDF type documents, etc) I have proven that Windows Search is absolutely unfit for purpose. The "Everything" search utility simply does what Windows cannot at all, in a few microseconds, and you can use numerous wildcard options with it.

    It saves me literally hours and hours every week I'm using the system.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 4,161
    Windows 7 Pro-x64
       #17

    How highly active could anyone's folders be re: metadata changes or contents changes to actually keep the indexer busy.
    Changes don't affect the indexing--Adding and deleting files does. I though that was what you stated was a problem. (Deleting a file and it still shows up.) Folders that are constantly dynamic shouldn't be indexed. This is what I mean by highly active.
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  8. Posts : 450
    Windows 7
       #18

    carwiz said:
    How highly active could anyone's folders be re: metadata changes or contents changes to actually keep the indexer busy.
    Changes don't affect the indexing--Adding and deleting files does. I though that was what you stated was a problem. (Deleting a file and it still shows up.) Folders that are constantly dynamic shouldn't be indexed. This is what I mean by highly active.
    That was not the OP. Changes must affect indexing if the contents of those file types (.extension) are modified. I just inserted a word in a .bat file (directory is indexed - i.e. Libraries) and immediately upon saving and going to search, I can find that file via that word search.

    I just deleted a .bat file that had a unique WAIT:200 inside of it. Going immediately to Search no longer shows that file upon searching for WAIT:200.

    If indexing is caught up, it's virtually immediate (short of blasting some word replace script or something to changes tons of files at once).
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  9. Posts : 15,026
    Windows 10 Home 64Bit
       #19

    you may check if any of these options need to be changed with what you search.
    you could also try disabling search and enabling it..i'm guessing sometimes it needs to be refreshed.
    Last edited by koolkat77; 05 Oct 2012 at 11:13.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 4,161
    Windows 7 Pro-x64
       #20

    That was not the OP.
    Ah, ok--My mistake. If "Content" is indexed then yes but I don't think that's the default setting. You can even disable/enable file types in the index too. This line of posts just sounds like someone complaining about getting blue screens after overclocking and blaming Windows. I'll sit out the rest because I have no idea what the OP has set for index options. I was just trying to enlighten about some of the attributes. My index count is over a million items and I don't have a problem either.
      My Computer


 
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